Ohio Health Policy Review

2008 Ohio Family Health Survey results released

The results from the 2008 Ohio Family Health Survey were released Monday and perhaps the most notable finding is that the uninsured rate for children has improved significantly since 2004, but has increased for working age adults.

The number of children without insurance dropped from 5.4 percent in 2004 to 4 percent in 2008.  At the same time, the uninsured rate for adults  age 18 to 64 increased from 15 percent to 17 percent, from an estimated 1,055,651 uninsured 18-to-64-year-olds in 2004 to 1,220,895 uninsured 18-to-64-year-olds in 2008.

Data from the survey, including summary tables, a county-by-county breakdown, a PowerPoint presentation on key findings and details on the survey instrument are all available at http://ofhs.webexone.com by clicking on the “enter as a guest” link below the sign-in box.

The media coverage of the release included:

• “Unemployment is driving up the number of uninsured adults in Ohio, survey finds,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 16, 2009
• “New study says more than 1.3 million Ohioans uninsured,” MedCity News, March 16, 2009
• “Kids add health care, but not adults,” Columbus Dispatch, March 16, 2009
• “Montgomery County ranks highest among urban counties for uninsured children,” Dayton Daily News, March 16, 2009
• “More Ohio adults lack coverage,” Cincinnati Enquirer, March 17, 2009
• “97,898 Ohio kids to be eligible for Ohio health plan,” Columbus Dispatch, March 17, 2009
• “Survey: More adults, fewer Ohio children uninsured,” Associated Press (via Forbes.com), March 17, 2009

Report lowers grade for Ohio mental health system

A new report from the National Alliance on Mental Illness gives Ohio’s public mental health system a grade of “C,” a drop from the “B” grade the state was given three years ago (Source: “Ohio mental health system slips in national report card,” Columbus Dispatch, March 11, 2009).

The good news in the report is that Ohio’s grade is still higher than the national average grade of “D.” However, the state was one of just 12 to have their grade reduced since the last NAMI report was published in 2006. According to NAMI’s detailed state report card (pdf) the lowered grade was, in part, because of state budget cuts over the past year.

"This grade is a tremendous disappointment," said Jim Mauro, executive direction of NAMI Ohio. "Three years ago, Ohio received a B and was viewed as a national leader. Instead of moving forward as we should have, we have fallen miserably backwards, and in the process have left many of our most vulnerable citizens behind."

Ohio mental health advocates warn against budget cuts

With Gov. Ted Strickland set to present his budget proposal next week, a group or mental-health advocates gathered at the State House Tuesday in hopes that their programs would be spared from another round of anticipated budget cuts (Source: “Mental-illness advocates fear budget cuts,” Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 28, 2009).

James Mauro, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio, said that mental-health programs have already suffered in the previous three rounds of state cutbacks, adding that "When these cuts are in place, people are (going) to die."